


Once More, With Feeling

by Mortimer_Dead_Sea



Series: SNK Reincarnation!AU [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, I Am Once Again Not Sorry, I Am Once Again Self-Indulgent With My Ship, I Will Go Down With This Ship, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Nonbinary Hange Zoë, Past Character Death, season two spoilers, somewhat graphic depictions of violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-11-18 09:02:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,730
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11288028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mortimer_Dead_Sea/pseuds/Mortimer_Dead_Sea
Summary: "He sniffed the air, freezing when he smelled it. He hoped, he prayed, and above all else, he was so glad he took economics."Mike, dealing with the fact that he lived and died, hopes he finds people he used to know. Along with a few other people, he thankfully finds Erwin.





	Once More, With Feeling

**Author's Note:**

> ALL OF THOSE TRAUMATIZED BY MIKE'S DEATH RAISE YOUR HAND *RAISES HAND*
> 
> In all seriousness, I wrote this immediately after posting the first part because I was bored, got some inspiration, and tried to piece together my emotions (even though I knew what was going to happen, that was still terrifying).
> 
> Enjoy.

Growing up with other memories was strange.

When he was a kid, he had memories of living another life before he even had memories of his own. With no other explanation for them, he assumed they were dreams.

Until he got older, and he realized.

They were not dreams. They had never been dreams.

He made up an excuse to get out of his house, and went for a walk in the rain, trying desperately to clear his head. The rain had always been soothing to him.

Dreams were one thing, but he wasn’t sure how to cope with the memories of being ripped apart and eaten. His legs shook with memories of being shattered, his shoulder itched with the memory of being bitten, his neck hurt with the memory of his head being torn off.

He took a shaky breath, deciding to turn back home.

\---- 

Over time, he learned to live with it.

He was safe in the knowledge that he couldn’t be the only one having this issue. He was unsafe in the knowledge that he might be the only one of his own people.

Was reincarnation common? Was it something everyone went through or was he alive because he was given a second chance? Did that mean those who died in the line of duty got reincarnated as well?

If that were true, he wondered who else he might someday see. Levi’s squad was a definite, and god knows he knew plenty of others who died.

But what about everyone else? Compared to the people he had really known and talked to, he had died quickly. He thought about his squad, Hanji, Levi…

Erwin.

He didn’t know how any of them fared. He didn’t know if he would ever come across them again.

He hoped he would.

\----

He was so relieved to see his squad. He was more relieved by the fact they remembered him.

He had never really found himself to be an affectionate man, but he couldn't help but hug them upon seeing them. They returned it well enough and weren’t thrown off by him smelling them. He was so glad for the familiarity; they smelled different on the surface, but deep down they were the same people.

He spent his high school career hanging out with them, Gelgar, Nanaba, and Thomas. They had been good soldiers, and a good squad, and above all else they were good company.

They all shared what it was like to die. Apparently they had shared similar demises and not long after he had, but they were all terrified by his own tale.

Weirdly enough, talking about it wasn’t as difficult as he had expected. It was hard at first, but telling someone was like lifting a weight off his shoulders. He wondered if that was what it was like for them as well.

By the end of their high school career, they were off to go to different schools. But that was ok.

Maybe he’d get lucky and find others.

\----

Second semester of college, he took economics. God knows why, he just had to fill a requirement and economics seemed harmless enough.

He plopped himself down, seeming to startle the person next to him, and looked dead ahead.

He sniffed the air, freezing when he smelled it. He hoped, he prayed, and above all else, he was so glad he took economics.

He turned his head and saw a familiar figure, looking just as surprised and just as hopeful.

“Erwin…?” he asked tentatively.

The other seemed to practically sigh with relief as a smile spread across his face.

“Mike…”

He felt relief wash through him as he smiled as well.

They whispered to each other throughout class, economics professor be damned.

After class, Erwin brought him to his room, dropping his bag at the door. His heart swelled, knowing that Erwin worked his ass off at everything he did and he was purposely leaving his homework alone to be with him.

He dropped his bag as well, trying to get Erwin as close as he could. He kissed him hard and tried to get him over to the bed. He felt Erwin smile against his lips as he began to carefully walk backwards to where his bed was.

He laid him down and climbed over him, practically laying down on top of him, and ran his hands up under his shirt. Erwin welcomed it, wrapping his arms around his neck.

“I missed you,” Erwin whispered.

He kissed him softly at that. “I missed you, too.”

\----

His dorm could go screw itself, he basically lived in Erwin’s. Erwin’s roommate was always gone anyway; he was Erwin’s polar opposite and partied at any and every opportunity. He went to class, hung out with his own friends, and then partied all weekend. Erwin used to find it annoying, but he was relishing in it now.

Erwin agreed that next year they would put each other down as who they wanted for a roommate.

It was almost strange, being allowed to be this carefree. Of course school was stressful, but the stress they were both used to pertained to the threat of death. This was so much different.

They were more openly affectionate now, and people often gave them looks. They could never tell if it was because they were the resident Gays or if it was just because they looked like polar opposites standing next to each other, Erwin’s impeccable appearance at odds with Mike’s general scruffy one. They didn’t mind though, just went on with their lives. It was like this for most of their college career.

They shared what their final moments had been like. He had felt bad for Erwin for everything he had to deal with, having never known what happened but having always been curious. But when he told him of his own death, Erwin latched on and refused to let go. He let him do this, not surprised in the slightest.

He could tell Erwin was relieved after that, though; Mike knew that he was the first person Erwin had found that he could confide in. Erwin saw people that looked familiar, people who could have been his soldiers, but he said nothing out of fear of being wrong, or of being despised all over again.

His squad had been happy for him when he told them he had found Erwin. The two of them had always kept their relationship under wraps given what the higher ups may do, having only ever mentioned it to Hanji and Levi (not to mention Nile knowing, but he had walked in at a very inopportune time when they were trainees, and he would never say anything anyway), but apparently they were a poorly kept secret. He just shrugged it off though, and endured the teasing from his friends.

He had his arm draped over Erwin, who had his face buried in his chest. There were two beds in the room, but they rarely used them both, just squishing together in one. College was coming to a close for them, it was their senior year.

“Hey,” he whispered. “Still awake?”

“Mm,” came the soft sound. Erwin didn’t even bother to move.

He licked his lips and kissed the crown of his head. “Let’s get married.”

There was a silence, and then Erwin tilted his head up to look at him. “What?”

“Let’s get married,” he repeated.

Erwin looked shocked. “Are you serious?”

“Of course I am,” he said. “Four years now, twenty years then. I would have married you a long time ago if I could have.”

Erwin’s face softened, and then he smiled. “When?”

“When we graduate,” he said. “We don’t need anything fancy, just enough for a marriage license.”

Erwin nodded and got comfortable again. Mike buried his nose in his hair and breathed in the scent.

\----

A couple of weeks after their graduation, they did just that. Mike brought Erwin back with him, and told his friends the news. They all congratulated the both of them and they held a small celebration. Erwin had never been much for parties, but it was just the five of them, so Erwin was at ease enough. Plus, Mike figured he was happy that they didn’t despise him as he had feared.

When he found Hanji many years later, they had thrown their arms around him. Mike would have been lying if he said he didn't immediately return the gesture, happy to see them as well.

When he and Erwin revealed their were married, Hanji threw their arms around them both, going a thousand miles an hour with congratulations and joy that they finally were able to.

When they found Levi and told him, he gave a short congratulations, but even he couldn’t hide the small smile he had. Once they had Levi, Hanji demanded they throw a proper reception. Mike and Erwin were both amused, but agreed anyway, and threw another small party.

Once they were home, he presented Erwin with an engagement ring. Erwin said he didn't have to, but he was smiling, and so was Mike.

A year or so later, Erwin told him that he had seen Nile, and when he revealed the news to him, Nile simply said “it’s about time”. He smiled at that, thinking back to when they were all training and they endured teasing from their old friend.

And Mike would be lying if he said he wasn’t extremely amused by the fact that apparently they _could_ keep a secret because Eren was absolutely shocked to find out they were married.

He endured some light teasing from Hanji and Levi for that and it wasn’t long before Levi’s old squad joined in as well.

He told the story to Erwin, who got a kick out of it.

\----

“Apparently, I _was_ the only one who didn’t know!” Eren proclaimed as he walked into their break room.

“What do you mean?” Levi asked.

“I asked my friends and apparently I was the only one who didn’t know they were together,” Eren said, gesturing to the two men in question.

They all laughed at that, Mike and Erwin the hardest out of any of them.

“You’re so oblivious,” Hanji said.

Eren groaned and walked over to the vending machine.

Mike allowed himself to calm down and he felt Erwin take his hand. He smiled.

Finally.

**Author's Note:**

> So now that this is out there, we'll see if I end up writing more bits.


End file.
